Republican presidential debate: 8 takeaways(CNN)The top 10 candidates for the Republican presidential nomination only had a few minutes each on Thursday to capture the attention of voters tuning in to the first big-league Republican presidential debate.

Donald Trump may have grabbed the most headlines from the night, but the prime-time debate didn't yield a clear victor. The night did offer a few breakout stars, and no candidate seemed to have sunk their campaign by the end of the night.

CNN fact checks the 2016 Republican debates.

From the stand-out moments to the blows, here are the night's top eight takeaways:

Trump proved yet again that he's not going to back down from his bombastic rhetoric. The Republican frontrunner kicked off the debate by refusing -- again -- to rule out a third-party run and pledge his support to the Republican nominee, regardless of who takes the crown.

Instead, Trump said: "I can totally make the pledge if I'm the nominee."

The moderators didn't mince words with Trump: Asking him about calling some undocumented immigrants "rapists" and slamming women he's previously sparred with as "fat pigs" and "slobs."

"Only Rosie O'Donnell," Trump interjected, before saying he doesn't "frankly have time for total political correctness."

But the result didn't give voters much in the way of specifics on Trump's policies, and he refused to do so when pressed on immigration by moderator Chris Wallace -- instead saying "our leaders are stupid."

No one outshines Donald Trump at GOP debate.

2. Rand Paul: Attack dogRand Paul was eager to grab headlines, jumping in even when he wasn't called on to rebut another candidate's point or lob attacks at Trump and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Paul jumped in immediately at the start of the debate to go after Trump's refusal to rule out a third-party run, saying the billionaire "buys and sells politicians of all stripes" and accusing him of "hedging his bet on the Clintons."

There's no doubt Paul was trying to stand out, and perhaps even steal Trump's thunder with the party's base as he described himself as a "different kind of Republican" in his closing remarks.

3. Christie v. PaulWhile Trump didn't go full-Donald to beat back the Kentucky senator's attacks, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie took advantage when given the opportunity to address his beef with Paul over national security.

Months after Rand Paul's 10-and-a-half hour filibuster to block the NSA's reauthorization -- which prompted attacks from Christie -- the pair showed Thursday that they will continue to grapple on the issue.

As the two squabbled, Christie slammed Paul for simply "blowing hot air" from the comfort of a Senate subcommittee. Paul fired back at Christie over his hugging of Obama right before the 2012 election. But Christie had the last word.

"Senator Paul, you know the hugs I remember are the hugs that I gave to the families who lost their people on September 11th," Christie said.

It's a sign that Christie will continue to be Paul's foil on the campaign trail as the libertarian-leaning senator's unorthodox national security and foreign policy positions continue to clash with the GOP mold.

4. Kasich, John Kasich.For a guy who barely squeaked his way onto the debate stage, John Kasich's main goal was to get his name out -- and his home state helped him meet and exceed his goal.

Playing off a home-court advantage, Kasich deftly handled questions on the attacks Democrats would lob at him and took a pass on attacking Trump. And he did so with authenticity and while pivoting to his credentials as a budget hawk and his foreign policy resume.

Kasich insisted that Trump is "hitting a nerve in this country."

"People are frustrated, they're fed up," Kasich said. "For people to just tune them out is a mistake."

5. Jeb Bush: Rusty, but working on itBush started off his week stumbling in New Hampshire, pushed toward the debate with a major gaffe on women's health care and teed off the debate Thursday stumbling through his answers yet again.

Bush -- who has been out of the political glare for nearly a decade -- appeared out of practice when fielding the first questions in the debate Thursday.

But he got stronger as the night went on, and began hitting his stride after he was asked about his pledge to bring 4% economic growth to the country and as he defended his work for a Michael Bloomberg nonprofit that gave money to Planned Parenthood.

However, Bush certainly didn't prove himself as the unequivocal frontrunner that many in the Republican establishment once believed him to be, as other candidates like Kasich and Rubio proved their top-tier status as well.

6. Where was Walker?Walker, who has consistently placed in second or third place in recent polls, didn't come away with a big moment from the debate.

He stayed on message and delivered concise responses to the questions he was asked, but his responses were drab and he didn't break out from the rest of the field.

7. Attacking TrumpAside from Paul, the rest of the candidates largely avoided attacking Trump -- several actually asked him for political donations in a light-hearted moment early on.

Instead, it was the second rung of candidates who debated at 5 p.m. who took swings at Trump while he was absent.

From former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, several of the so-called "happy hour debate" candidates swung at Trump for his policy positions and his association with the Clintons.

8. Fiorina's breakout momentWhile the prime-time debate didn't reveal any winners, Fiorina came away from the earlier debate as the clear victor, generating chatter on social media and buzz among political pundits.

She came away as the clear winner of that debate, stealing the spotlight from the six other lower-tier candidates with jabs at everyone from Trump to Bush and, of course, Hillary Clinton.

After watching the GOP debate last night, as well as their past couple debates/candidates, I'm convinced that Republicans simply cannot deliver a sound Presidential candidate. Lol. It's sort of tragic, yet entertaining, like a Shakespearean play or something. The only reason I watched was due to Donald Trump's presence which didn't disappoint in the least bit. I don't agree with anything that any of the candidates stated, except where Trump stated how he doesn't have time for "political correctness." In my opinion, America doesn't have time either. Not to mention that politics and lies tend to go hand-in-hand so why fake PC anyway when lies are a way of life for politicians?

That said, I'd love to see Jesse Ventura (hoping he runs), Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton locked into a hour-long debate.

I usually don't post in political threads on this forum, but it's the summer.

If I were to bet on it, I think I would agree with what shakes put in the title. I'm pulling for Sanders though and I think he could have an honest shot at this. I saw some stats about campaign fundraising a week or so ago and he had raised the second most (among democrats) from small donors. Of all of the promises discussed by these candidates Sander's promise to spend money on transportation infrastructure on the east coast is the one that seems most likely to actually effect my life. I-95 needs billions to be spent on it and a high-speed train up and down the east coast corridor would be a game-changer.

On top of that he's the candidate I trust most as an environmentalist and his position on guns is moderate. I'm on board.

^^^Sanders will meet the same fate as Trump I'm afraid. Both the DNC and the RNC want to push the safest candidate in hopes of securing the office.

I was impressed with Carson. In this day and age though, mild manners won't cut it. Agree with you Shakes, Clinton wins. With Bill as her late night sounding board, his insight will be paramount on issues like economy, foreign policy, and even immigration.

Our country needs a president that understands that wars equal trickle down economics at best, and it also furthers our international reputation as war mongers. In 2016 we need accords that stimulate peace, trade, and growth. We also need open dialog about national race relations.

After screaming that the sky is falling for 8 years with no real sign of it happening any time soon, I think the Republicans are in a death spiral. Credibility is pretty shot, Trump is not helping and the old scare lines just sound old.

I'll pay more attention to Sanders, but I think he's running via the wrong party? Not even sure if he's a Democrat. I'm hearing that he's a great debater, though. So we'll see. There's so much momentum built towards Hillary's campaign, along with Bill (as Mr. Glass alluded) and Barack's affiliated backings that only Hillary herself can lose this. And she's quite the debater as well.

shakespeare wrote:I'll pay more attention to Sanders, but I think he's running via the wrong party? Not even sure if he's a Democrat. I'm hearing that he's a great debater, though. So we'll see. There's so much momentum built towards Hillary's campaign, along with Bill (as Mr. Glass alluded) and Barack's affiliated backings that only Hillary herself can lose this. And she's quite the debater as well.

This should actually be a pretty entertaining election. The repubs aka Trump seem to be taking a page from the dems and making this early "season" all abot headlines rather than substance. If nothing else, Trump will provide a lot of fodder and with his support actually growing from this, I am not sure what will stop him. Support wise, outside of the political insider arena, there is not another candidate close to him which is scary in its own right.

Hilary has a large closet of skeletons that will keep her from running away with anything. I had thought she was a shoe in 8 years ago and then again this election but there is something there that does not resonate well with what would seem her largest support base, women. I think the repubs are going to get down in the dirt as the dems have in the past and open up Hilary's closet and air it all out...again, making for good theater.

Two things tha have REALLY stuck out to me so far.....the lack of support for Ben Carson, especially from minorities and the rise of Carly Fiorina. I let people weigh in on the reasons behind Carson's lack of support but as for Fiorina.....I am not sure she will ever get a lot of real support or attention but she could be a very valuable ally to whomever could win her support. She is kinda like the anti-Trump

On the move to watch for the repubs....Rick Santorum. He has not even begun yet and as he did 4 years ago, he may be late to the party but he gets going quickly. The field is wide open, unlike 4 years ago there is not a favorite that he has to overcome.

- Me being the resident optimist around this cesspool of doom and gloom, StevoStarks, circa 2019

I try to look at the upcoming presidential election as neutral as possible. Americans know that the beltway is dominated by rich career politicians, and they've ALL been fleecing us Americans via special interests. That's the way it is. Minorities, rather they be gay, black/brown, female, or other are looking for a candidate that represents them. That's why you see several Latinos, two females, and a black man running. The problem with the GOP is that pushing Sarah Palin in 08 was a clear attempt at capturing a demographic (women). It was NOT about diversity in their party. It's the same today with Rubio, Cruz, Fiorina, and Carson. Carson is not supported by blacks for the same reason Latinos don't support Cruz and Rubio - they're (perceived to be) whitewashed versions of the people they represent. Tokens if you will. There is a lack of trust from minorities with the GOP (via Faux News) because they have shown little or no sensitivity towards race relations (doesn't exist according to Bill O), immigrants have been demonized (screw Trump), and ALL Muslims must be dealt with the same way we dealt with the yellow man in the 50s, 60s, and 70s (kill em all). Bullshit.

The party of fear has sold their last chuck of transferable gold bullion.

washingtonparkjones wrote:I think the Republicans are in a death spiral. Credibility is pretty shot...

I try to look at the upcoming presidential election as neutral as possible. Americans know that the beltway is dominated by rich career politicians, and they've ALL been fleecing us Americans via special interests. That's the way it is. Minorities, rather they be gay, black/brown, female, or other are looking for a candidate that represents them. That's why you see several Latinos, two females, and a black man running. The problem with the GOP is that pushing Sarah Palin in 08 was a clear attempt at capturing a demographic (women). It was NOT about diversity in their party. It's the same today with Rubio, Cruz, Fiorina, and Carson. Carson is not supported by blacks for the same reason Latinos don't support Cruz and Rubio - they're (perceived to be) whitewashed versions of the people they represent. Tokens if you will. There is a lack of trust from minorities with the GOP (via Faux News) because they have shown little or no sensitivity towards race relations (doesn't exist according to Bill O), immigrants have been demonized (screw Trump), and ALL Muslims must be dealt with the same way we dealt with the yellow man in the 50s, 60s, and 70s (kill em all). Bullshit.

The party of fear has sold their last chuck of transferable gold bullion.

Yeps.

Right back at ya with the good stuff Glass

I think the repubs have learned a lot over the last 8 years but it is not going to change their ideology. It seems that the overwhelming thought is that somehow the GOP must change their core but that is not going to happen. What they will change is the way they deliver their message. What I think we need to face (possibly as big as the entire nation) is that the media is now the message. To me, it is the most scary development of modern times and I don't say that willy nilly. The dem party and liberals as a whole have embraced this full scale and are winning the "public image" battle. I think the repubs now understand that it i sno longer about what you say but how you get that message across. This could be Hilary's undoing, actually as she does not seem to score well on the believability or sincerity scales.

Interesting points about repubs "minority" candidates. Here is where I have a problem understanding the general logic of them just being "token" candidates though....is Ben Carson really anybodies fool? Cruz an Rubio are lifetime politicians why are they tokens and not just coming into their time? Let me throw out a comparison....look at the POTUS 8 years ago. he was supposed to be an up and comer, little experience but it was not his time yet. What is the difference between what the repubs are doing with their "minority" candidates and what the dems did with BO? It could be argued and I personally think very successfully that candidates like Rubio and Cruz are far more prepared and experienced and deserving that was BO. But, it is not about that, just getting votes and winning. So, this is where I don't agree with this idea that a man like Ben Carson is a "token". I don't think that Carson let's anyone do that to him unless he believes in what he is doing. To be honest, I find it kinda surprising to see the number of people that "uncle Tom" people like him and Alan West just for being repubs. That is gang mentality but it is amazing how affective that is. Go back to my original statements about the media.....want to discredit these guys, just call any minority that is repub a token and job done.

- Me being the resident optimist around this cesspool of doom and gloom, StevoStarks, circa 2019

Good discussion. Agree with much of being said. I definitely believe Hillary has a certain nastiness about herself, but it works. She would've been the candidate for the Democrats 8 years ago hadn't Obama took social media by storm and been such a exceptional orator. Obama was on fire. I'm still upset that the GOP gave us Sarah Palin as a vice-president candidate when it was obvious she had no clue. That left a bad taste in my mouth. So, that said, I definitely believe their party will push a "angle" or "token" regarding candidates opposed to pushing a legit nominee. Dcap, to me, I believe Mr. Glass is saying that what you see with those type of GOP "demographic offerings" is that you're not really getting what you see. If so, I agree.

I personally believe elections are won/lost during debates. Basically.

Shakes, that is exactly what I was getting at. In my opinion, Carson is a brilliant man sipping a fruity drink while wading his feet in a pool of sharks. And just like in the deep blue, DC sharks smile before they bite. If/when Carson bucks party lines, he will be ousted like anyone else...by his own party. That is what Trump is going through now, but his popularity and war chest is making it harder to disappear him.

DC, you are dead on target about the evolution of the GOP strategy. If you want to be amazed go read the comments section at Fox News. Loaded with racism. I wish it were believable that a party cloaked in policies designed to suppress voting, rezone county lines to their voting advantage, and flat out invite a man like Trump to eloquently insult an entire country of people (breath taken)...wants to all of a sudden have one of them represent their party? I'm not buying that with house money!

A non-white Republican candidate is like seeing a pastor taking bong hits during offering collection...possible but rare as hell.

@DC - Forgot to add that Rubio and Cruz are VERY qualified for the presidency. Joined the wrong party for that though. The Democrats are about to nominate their second minority. And keep your eye on Julian Castro and his twin brother in 2024!

shakespeare wrote:Would you vote for a Trump/Ventura presidency? That would be insane. Lol. I like Trump's "theater" but nothing else about him really makes me believe he could work.

Do I believe they can win...."probably" not but I think it bespeaks exactly where US politics is right now. This election is quickly becoming almost futuristic in its aversion to real substance. Let's face it....I think Hilary has a lot more than just "nastiness" against her. Personally, I think there is real weakness there but she may win as much by default as any other reason. As things heat up, there are going to be more and more ugly things coming out, of this you can be almost guaranteed. Between her and Bill, the closet is full.

Why futuristic? Because the main focus of this election in the early stages has been about memes and sound bites and getting out on social media. Quick question, what policies has Trump spoken about thus far? What are his answers to anything other than a sound bite reply Yet....it is working.

Excuse the reference....but last election showed that appealing to the social media crowd and low info voters works. No knock on the POTUS at all but let's face it....it is what won him the last election. I see a good orator but not the special one you speak about. I see more of a party that knows the crowd they are playing to and does it to perfection.

- Me being the resident optimist around this cesspool of doom and gloom, StevoStarks, circa 2019

Mr. Glass wrote:Shakes, that is exactly what I was getting at. In my opinion, Carson is a brilliant man sipping a fruity drink while wading his feet in a pool of sharks. And just like in the deep blue, DC sharks smile before they bite. If/when Carson bucks party lines, he will be ousted like anyone else...by his own party. That is what Trump is going through now, but his popularity and war chest is making it harder to disappear him.

DC, you are dead on target about the evolution of the GOP strategy. If you want to be amazed go read the comments section at Fox News. Loaded with racism. I wish it were believable that a party cloaked in policies designed to suppress voting, rezone county lines to their voting advantage, and flat out invite a man like Trump to eloquently insult an entire country of people (breath taken)...wants to all of a sudden have one of them represent their party? I'm not buying that with house money!

A non-white Republican candidate is like seeing a pastor taking bong hits during offering collection...possible but rare as hell.

I agree with you almost 100% Glass except in one area....I do not think that the RNC is backing Carson in any way nor Trump for that matter. I believe that the repubs consider them both more of a PITA than a candidate for POTUS Both Trump and Carson are running on the repub ticket because this is where their beliefs are and this is where the opportunity is. Trump has come out and said, he is only running on the repub ticket as long as the party does not get in his was of how/what he wants to do. If that happens, he goes independent.

So, in no way do I look at it like the repubs are putting up these minority candidates as tokens, not by any means. Also, I did not just put that earlier statement

To be honest, I find it kinda surprising to see the number of people that "uncle Tom" people like him and Alan West just for being repubs. That is gang mentality ....

out there by accident. I see this as a REAL strategy, playing to the audience the dems are after. Who really looks at the background of these guys to see this is where there life has lead them and these beliefs are not something new but how they have led their lives. No need to go into all that, just throw out the "token" handle and the rest is taken care of. Carson, West, Powell....the list is endless of these tokens....could it just be that this is actually what these people believe and that the repub party is morphing with the times? Before 8 years ago, how many legit black presidential were there? Probably one, Colin Powell and he ran on the repub ticket. Change happens quickly and for many reasons but it cant just be written off by token-ism....IMHO

<\ hopping on soapbox don't need to tell you guys the vitriol that throwing out terms like "token" or "Uncle Tom" spurs up....yet, I see it everywhere in relation to these good people. I find it insulting to the intelligence to believe that these people that have spent their lives building up to this point, being legit presidential candidates or other types of advocates can get dismissed with this archaic, gang type logic./>

We often see how the repub party "needs to change" or needs to do things more "right". This is about the lowest form of attack by a party since the "Willie Horton" days.

- Me being the resident optimist around this cesspool of doom and gloom, StevoStarks, circa 2019

Not sure if a word exists that describes someone who is partially willing to be manipulated for the sake of a bigger cause (later), but every candidate on both sides has to bend to this rule. It’s the only way you'll get party backing. Independents just don't have the juice to compete against the two major parties. I believe there is a very thin line between following party protocol and your own personal agenda. Our system is really screwed up when you think about that. Americans simply want bipartisanship, but when you play ball with the other side you're labeled a party traitor...and nothing gets done as usual. I've always believed that a 3-party system with equal power could fix this. Maybe the Libertarian party will get it together one day. Our beliefs as citizens don't always fit in with the two parties in power. BTW, I don't look at any of these candidates as tokens or Toms, but I do believe they all sell a piece of their souls for the nomination (and sustainable cooperation). The old Potomac two-step.

I'd like to share my tactics for (hypothetically) getting elected as the GOP candidate for President:

1. Immediately address race issues. Right out the box I attack this head on! May not seem as important as others issues, but we're talking about getting votes. I would hold a summit on race. Ignoring something does not make it go away, and minority voters need to know that their voices are heard. I would add additional duties to maybe the DOJ on these matters if elected. I'd hold monthly town hall meetings on C-SPAN addressing immigration, mandatory prison sentencing, and such. I'd want to get folks from both sides talking about a spectrum of race related issues. There is no GOP candidate really doing this in a positive light right now. I can't offend my base either, so I must also appeal to "trusted American values" as seen by the core GOP voter (older white people). It will be very tricky to pull off. Upswing from ALL minority voters.

2. Acknowledgment of a broken system - Humility wins hearts. Show Americans that you understand DC gridlock, and something innovative but painful needs to happen. Clearly explain to all Americans that term limits are the only answer, but the ones benefitting from long tenures are the very same ones that prevent voting to change it. Convince the people that this will be a constitutionally driven way of removing the old guard and inserting new, unafraid and brighter minds to positions of power. If a Senator is truly committed to being effective he need not worry about keeping his position. Another very tricky thing to pull off. Upswing from ALL voters.

3. Address ISIS/ISIL - My financial backers are defense contractors. They like war. Most Americans don't. The "Freedom Isn’t Free" phrase would be replaced with, "Justice Must Be Justified". In other words, I will find American threats and I eliminate them. Large scale attacks on countries that harbor ISIS are ineffective. I'd build an international coalition of counter-terrorism specialist from across the globe, that will share the cost of fighting terrorism. We will fight terrorism WITH terrorism, but I can't say that part. I believe that the American Muslim is underutilized in this country. Giving them an international platform will change the world's view of us (once the American Muslim truly believes this). Remove the fear that exist in the GOP towards non-Christians here and abroad. Again, not easy but dialog about it is a preemptive win. International upswing in popularity = more votes.

BTW, I'd look like Colin Powell.

Sorry for being long-winded, but I love my country and I want it to be better for all. United we stand divided we fall.

Dcap. I understand what you're saying, I do especially where you wrote "change happens quickly and for many reasons but it cant just be written off by token-ism,"but you don't really believe that the GOP party (which hasn't exactly been race-neutral, as you touched upon) appears non-scripted? And to connect my beliefs with your understandable statement regarding the party need for change: still waters run deep, meaning the surface might appear different but the long-standing right winged conservative gospels are the same. One would assume that candidates from various demographics would inject new blood into the mix, but when things remain the same, then it's also understandable why said candidates are considered as "tokens." Cause in the event of new blood equating to the same ole same ole, then what else will there be to believe except that they were puppets? That's probably a sample of politics on a whole, but again as you alluded there's a plethora of voters ready to take the bait. Wouldn't you agree?

Mr. Glass & Dcap. I'm actually surprised that Carson threw his hat into the mix seeing as how he's never held public office. He's probably a genuine individual and has a good idea of what it takes to run a country, but like you said, it's not safe for him in these political waters. I like Rubio, but he's not ready. I gotta pay more attention to the others you mentioned. And I honestly don't believe Trump even thinks he can win the presidency nor GOP nomination. He appears to enjoy the spotlight more than anything. Trump is so insane that he slams both the Repubs and the Democracts and politicians in general. Lol. I'd go so far (as far as policies) as to say that Trump only looks to create incentives in America, impose economic sanctions abroad and go to war with non-believers. I think Trump stands on the cusp and able to see that America is in serious jeopardy of going down (the dollar is in trouble), so I do like that he doesn't play political games. Months ago, I was surprised to find that Trump and Ventura are good friends. Here's an article that came across my feed, earlier today. http://www.politico.com/story/2015/08/j ... 21294.html

Mr. Glass. That's pretty much where I stand as well where you spoke of manipulation. I think said candidates are manipulated by GOP handlers. That's part of the game. Of course I can't prove this to be fact, but I can sense when something isn't genuine. And I too believe the political system in America is broken and has been that way for awhile now. Cause when you sit and look at the Big Picture, there's a chance that another Bush or Clinton will be the next POTUS. I mean, think about that for a second. Lastly, I believe the biggest problem for America in the past, present, and future is our foreign policies. It's hard to make a moral appeal to your citizens when you're morally-bankrupt.

Last edited by shakespeare on August 12, 2015, 8:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.